Coming to grips with poverty
Sobhanund Seeparsad
Editor of News On Sunday. Did university studies in the UK and India. Holds an MA , BA (Hons), BCom, PGCE, PCCGE, Diploma in Journalism (IPI-Zurich). Worked in Nairobi and Mumbai. Was chief Sub Editor Indian Express Group of Papers in 70s. Author: Effective Notes on Milton Paradise Lost BK IX (1963); Granper Rakont Nu Enn Zistwar (1998). Also acted in many short and feature films, including popular TV serial C'est La Vie. Tells a folk story in Bhojpuri on MBC radio daily. By Sobhanund Seeparsad
Published on 18th April, 2008
A strong delegation, almost touching 700 delegates including many heads of SADC States, are meeting at the Swami Vivekananda International Conference Centre, in Pailles, this Sunday April 20, to discuss and find ways to promote economic development and eradicate poverty.
Prior to the high level consultation on development and poverty, SADC ministers will have a two-day meeting and prior consultations at the same venue on Friday 18 and Saturday 19. The Sunday summit will discuss “Regional economic integration: A strategy for poverty alleviation towards sustainable development.”
The decision to hold the summit on poverty in Mauritius was taken after the Prime Minister, Dr Navinchandra Ramgoolam, offered to host it when he attended the Clinton Initiatives, in the US, in 2005.
It is not clear who is coming from Zimbabwe though the country has been invited to participate along with the Seychelles, Comoros and Reunion islands. Representatives of many NGOs will also participate and provide a link between the civil society and decision makers in the different countries.
SADC has contributed US$ 1 million for the organization of the Sunday summit. The rest of the expenses will be borne by Mauritius.
The conference is expected to propose and adopt a Regional Poverty Reduction Framework (RPRF) with SMART targets and clear monitoring and evaluation plans.
SMART targets are: Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Time-bound. The conference will discuss strategies, commitments and resources needed to deepen SADC’s regional economic integration goals and accelerate the implementation of the UN Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
SADC Heads of State and Government will participate in a number of panel discussions together with selected Heads of State and Government from other regions of Africa, Asia, South America and Europe. International Cooperating Partners (ICPs) will also participate, many at a senior government levels. Four panels will be held: The SADC Regional Economic Integration – Paving a road to economic growth and poverty reduction, which the Prime Minister of Mauritius will chair; Addressing regional dimensions of poverty – the SADC regional poverty reduction framework, tackling the skills; Innovation and Technological Gap required for Economic Growth and Poverty Reduction through Education; and SADC Region Resource Gaps for Attaining Millennium Development Goals targets.
Fifteen leading CEOs of the private sector have met the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Rama Sithanen, and agreed to coordinate their activities with the public sector and NGOs to eradicate poverty in the country. They will also elaborate a common data base and share their information, human resources, logistics and finance to help 200 pre-identified pockets of poverty. The group will work on re-skilling, social accompaniments, entrepreneurship, outsourcing, education, among others. The work will start first with the setting up of a committee to share information among the three partners. Another panel will also be set up to launch pilot projects. Around 26,000 families live on less that Rs 10,000 a month and another 7,000 on less than Rs 100 a day.
The decision to hold the summit on poverty in Mauritius was taken after the Prime Minister, Dr Navinchandra Ramgoolam, offered to host it when he attended the Clinton Initiatives, in the US, in 2005.
It is not clear who is coming from Zimbabwe though the country has been invited to participate along with the Seychelles, Comoros and Reunion islands. Representatives of many NGOs will also participate and provide a link between the civil society and decision makers in the different countries.
SADC has contributed US$ 1 million for the organization of the Sunday summit. The rest of the expenses will be borne by Mauritius.
The conference is expected to propose and adopt a Regional Poverty Reduction Framework (RPRF) with SMART targets and clear monitoring and evaluation plans.
SMART targets are: Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Time-bound. The conference will discuss strategies, commitments and resources needed to deepen SADC’s regional economic integration goals and accelerate the implementation of the UN Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
SADC Heads of State and Government will participate in a number of panel discussions together with selected Heads of State and Government from other regions of Africa, Asia, South America and Europe. International Cooperating Partners (ICPs) will also participate, many at a senior government levels. Four panels will be held: The SADC Regional Economic Integration – Paving a road to economic growth and poverty reduction, which the Prime Minister of Mauritius will chair; Addressing regional dimensions of poverty – the SADC regional poverty reduction framework, tackling the skills; Innovation and Technological Gap required for Economic Growth and Poverty Reduction through Education; and SADC Region Resource Gaps for Attaining Millennium Development Goals targets.
Fifteen leading CEOs of the private sector have met the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Rama Sithanen, and agreed to coordinate their activities with the public sector and NGOs to eradicate poverty in the country. They will also elaborate a common data base and share their information, human resources, logistics and finance to help 200 pre-identified pockets of poverty. The group will work on re-skilling, social accompaniments, entrepreneurship, outsourcing, education, among others. The work will start first with the setting up of a committee to share information among the three partners. Another panel will also be set up to launch pilot projects. Around 26,000 families live on less that Rs 10,000 a month and another 7,000 on less than Rs 100 a day.